Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 300 sampled Steam reviews (273 positive / 27 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing37% mention it
- Music & audio18% mention it
- Visuals & art14% mention it
- World & exploration8% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing67% mention it
- Music & audio30% mention it
- World & exploration15% mention it
- Visuals & art11% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
68%
40 reviews
5-15h
92%
138 reviews
15-40h
98%
103 reviews
40-100h
94%
16 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 84 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 100 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 97% | 93 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 85 | 9 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 97% | 92 | 78 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 91.7, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 38,834 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 222 reviews sampled · 198 total reviews in window · weighted 168.4 up / 5.4 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (67)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 85
“VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action is a unique experience that’s literally a book in game form. Mixing drinks and changing lives proves to be a blast as you interact with many interesting characters. There’s loads of reading to do here but as long as you’re ready to read a novel while you play, this is one book, er, game that you won’t want to put down. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
- 90
“Thanks to its fantastic storytelling VA-11 Hall-A is a highly engaging experience wrapped in retro aesthetics. Some may argue that its simplified gameplay being subservient to storytelling does little to make it a game in the modern, mainstream sense. However, it succeeds in presenting a slice of life in a dystopian future and drives home the point that not every video game has to have you as its central character. They can just be as fun with you serving its heroes copious amounts of alcohol.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“For visual novel fans, VA-11 HALL-A is definitely refreshing and distinctive enough to be worth your time. It’s also ideal to play handheld on Switch: touchscreen, Joy-Con, HD rumble, pick-up-and-playability and a close-up screen for reading all add to the experience. If you don’t usually go for visual novels then it’s back to our starting question: can VA-11 HALL-A be excused its lack of gameplay? If you’re happy to try it just for a story, then you’ll be delighted. Delighted enough to read it through six times in search of alternate endings? Probably not. But, like a good cocktail, its flavour lingers after the final sip, so sometimes one is enough.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you like great stories and immersive world building, with little to no gameplay, this is a game for you.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Sukeban did a fantastic job with building a cyberpunk world that feels organic, writing characters that are believable and (mostly) easy to love, and giving us a gameplay experience that would give those who are reluctant to the simple flow of visual novels a legitimate shot. I really enjoyed my time in Glitch City, and I think you will too.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Having never played a bartending game in my life before this year I find it unusual that I’m now reviewing my second one...”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A charming visual novel about tending a cyberpunk bar, VA-11 HALL-A is a genuinely fantastic title. A focused, neon-drenched art direction, paired with incredible music and razor-sharp writing, the game is great if you're new to, or curious about, visual novels. The writing's deft handling of darker or more taboo subjects makes for a compelling title with a varied cast of characters that each bring something unique.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Overall, VA-11 HALL-A on the Switch is a marvelous port that works far better than I ever expected it to. The new controls may take some getting used to, but after a few minutes tinkering with them I found they came pretty naturally, and overall the game has kept the charm and likeability that drew me to it back in 2016. Gameplay may get a bit stale after long sessions of play, but for small relaxing wind-down sessions at the end of the night, you’ll find no better place to be than in Jill’s head during yet another shift at the bar.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Va11ha11a is a really odd game. Not because it’s bad, or particularly weird per se, but because I have nothing to really draw a parallel to for comparison. Yes, there are visual novels with gimmicks, but those normally culminate in something, whether it be snagging a girl or unraveling a magical conspiracy by fighting with giant mechs using anthropomorphic books (yes that’s an actual example). Va11ha11a, on the other hand, is perfectly content to just be as it is, which is something I can say is rather novel to find. You aren’t going to find much action here, but the company certainly kept me coming back for more.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Va-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartending Action is precisely what is right about indie development right now. It's a really highly polished experience with a lot of secrets to be found, coupled with a story that pulls you along with strong characters. The drinks just happen to be a neat distraction.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Anyone who enjoys visual novels, or great stories in general, should stop by VA11-HALL-A for a refreshing drink.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Fintendo
Gadgets 360
Nintendo Life
PLAY Zine
Gamer Escape
Nindie Spotlight
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Chalgyr's Game Room
The Escapist
MonsterVine…and 55 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 官方中文版已正式更新！Dec 25, 2017
- Patch 1.2.1.3Apr 26, 2017
- Patch 1.2.1.3Apr 26, 2017
- Trading Cards!Aug 1, 2016
- Update 1.1.0.4 is now LIVE!Jul 4, 2016
- Update 1.1.0.4 is now LIVE!Jul 4, 2016
- Update 1.1.0.3 is now LIVE!Jun 27, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Update 1.1.0.3 is now LIVE!Jun 27, 2016